Description

Yoshitsugu Yamashita (1865–1935) was a Japanese judoka. He was one of the earliest disciples of Jigoro Kano and the first person to be awarded 10th dan rank in judo, posthumously in 1935. He was also the first Japanese judo master to teach judo in the United States.

Teachers (1)

• 
  Kanō Jigorō

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 3

  Confirmed

  Well-documented student of Jigoro Kano, entered Kodokan in August 1884 as the 19th member, mentioned in multiple reliable sources including Wikipedia and Judo Channel

  sports_kabaddiKodokan badge (1884)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Well-documented student of Jigoro Kano, entered Kodokan in August 1884 as the 19th member, mentioned in multiple reliable sources including Wikipedia and Judo Channel

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Yoshitsugu Yamashita was the son of an Odawara Han martial arts instructor, and he entered Kodokan in August of 1884."

  — Kodokan hall of fame: Yoshitsugu Yamashita (Judo Channel)link

  "In August 1884, he joined the Kodokan judo dojo of his childhood friend Kano Jigoro as its nineteenth member"

  — Yamashita Yoshitsugu - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Ranks (1)

• linkKōdōkan Jūdō

  military_tech10 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Posthumously awarded 10th dan by Jigoro Kano on October 24, 1935, making him the first holder of the Kodokan 10th dan rank, well-documented in Judo Channel and other sources

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Kodokan

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Posthumously awarded 10th dan by Jigoro Kano on October 24, 1935, making him the first holder of the Kodokan 10th dan rank, well-documented in Judo Channel and other sources

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "At the memorial ceremony held at Kodokan, Jigoro Kano posthumously awarded Mr. Yamashita the 10th Dan rank as of October 24th, making Mr. Yamashita the first holder of the Kodokan 10th Dan rank in recognition of his service."

  — Kodokan hall of fame: Yoshitsugu Yamashita (Judo Channel)link

Students (2)

• 
  Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 2

  Probable

  Well-documented in historical article 'Professor Yamashita Goes to Washington' with specific dates March-April 1904 practicing judo three afternoons a week in the White House

  (1904-1904)

  at Roosevelt's White House Judo Course

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Well-documented in historical article 'Professor Yamashita Goes to Washington' with specific dates March-April 1904 practicing judo three afternoons a week in the White House

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "So, during March and April 1904, Roosevelt practiced judo three afternoons a week, using a ground floor office in the White House as his workout space (...) Yamashita later said that while Roosevelt was his best pupil (...)"

  — Professor Yamashita Goes to Washington (Journal of Combative Sport, Oct 2000)link
• 
  Takeshita Isamu

  linkKōdōkan Jūdō 3

  Confirmed

  Takeshita's own quoted recollection confirms he and Roosevelt took judo lessons from Yamashita in the White House

  (1904-1905)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Takeshita's own quoted recollection confirms he and Roosevelt took judo lessons from Yamashita in the White House

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "We had engaged Mr. Y. Yamashita, an expert on judo or jiu jitsu, from Japan as our instructor, and we, Mr. Roosevelt and I, used to take lessons in jiu-jitsu very often in his library on the second floor of the White House."

  — Svinth, Joseph R.. (1999). Aikido Comes to America - September 1935. Journal of Combative Sportlinkinfo

Sources